Spirited Away: One Summer's Day
by alwayswithme123
Summary: Two years after her return to the human world, Chihiro is awakened one night from a dream. But it wasn't like any other dream, it was a dream of perhaps her only true friend, Haku. What will happen when Chihiro finds herself wanting to go back?
1. Chapter 1: Look Back

One Summer's Day

_The sun shone brightly in the field as the two friends stood alone. The grass swayed to the side as if to pat the shoulder of Chihiro, who was about to say goodbye to perhaps the one true friend she ever had. _

_"Just go back the way you came, you'll be fine.", Haku said reassuringly. _

_"But what about you? What will you do?"_

_He smiled as he spoke, "Don't worry, I'm going to go back and have a talk with Yubaba. I'm going to quit being her apprentice."_

_Seeing her look of worry, he calmly added," I'll be fine, I got my name back. You saved me, Chihiro."_

_But that feeling in her chest still hadn't gone away._

_"Haku…Will we ever see each other again?"_

_"I know we will."_

_"Promise?"_

_"Promise. Now run, and don't look back."_

_Then, at that moment, everything went black as Chihiro started with a jolt in her bed. _

Chihiro wished she could go back to her dream and tell her younger self to look back. If she had looked back… she most definitely wouldn't have been able to go back to the human world. If she had seen how sad and lonely Haku looked as she turned away… she most definitely would have run back into his arms.

She groaned as she glanced at her alarm clock. She was late. Very late.

As quickly as she could, she jumped out of bed and tied her hair up in her sparkly purple hairband. It had been 2 years since she had gotten that hairband from Zeniba. She had told her to keep it with her always, that it was made from the love of her friends, and that it would protect her. But no one told her that it would be the one thing she would ever have to remind her of her true home.

Chihiro hurriedly put on her uniform and ran out the door, much to the surprise of her mother. Just as she was about to bolt to her school, her mom called out , "Chihiro, you don't have school today!"

_Oh yeah, _Chihiro thought, _Today is the first day of summer_

Now that it was summer… she only had a few days left before she moved again. Her dad had gotten word from his boss that they would need to relocate a few cities over for his job. Her parents had seemed happy and enthusiastic, and she honestly would have too, were it not for the fact that It would mean she would be even farther away from the spirit world's entrance. Even farther away from Haku. Her heart sunk as she thought of Haku coming back for her and finding that she had left him. Would he think that she had forgotten about him? Would he look for her if he ever did come to see her? She thought of these things as she walked back into her house. As she entered her room, she thought of that dream she had the previous night. She wanted to dream about Haku again. She wanted to change the ending… even if she couldn't change it in real life. She laid her head down on her pillow, thinking of exactly what she would do once they said goodbye. _Look back_, Chihiro thought. _Look back._


	2. Chapter 2: Just a Dream

Chihiro suddenly felt herself in some place new. She looked around at her surroundings… a vast green field. A cool breeze brushed against her cheeks, swaying her tied-up hair. Had her wish to go back to that dream actually worked? She had had this dream before, but she had never been in the dream first-person. She had always seen it from the side, as if she were watching a movie. She had never been able to relive it herself. Chihiro looked next to her, and saw him. Haku.

She heard his voice say those words she remembered all too well.

"Now run, and don't look back.", he said to her.

_This is it,_ she thought. _Look back. _

She took one step forward. Then another. Her feet carried her all the way to the middle of the field. Then she stopped. _Come on, Chihiro. _That's when it happened. She looked back. She felt as though some lock had opened inside of her that she never knew was there. She felt herself able to move on her own now, not just reliving an old memory. When she looked back, she saw Haku standing there, his hand still slightly outstretched from when she had held that hand just moments ago. But the look in his striking emerald eyes was unmistakable. Sadness, loneliness. She knew this look because she recognized it in herself many times before. That look only came to her when she missed Haku, the only true friend she ever had.

Chihiro knew what would happen next. She ran. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, all the way back to Haku. She didn't even think, and what happened next seemed so natural. She ran into his arms… just as she had pictured so many times before. But this time was different. She felt his warmth. She didn't feel alone anymore. She had longed for these sensations for so long… and it stung, knowing she may never get to see a friend like him ever again.

She stifled a sob as she said to him, "Haku…I don't want to go…. I don't want to go…"

But she never heard his response, as she woke up at that very moment. She was startled to find real tears slipping down her cheeks. "Haku…." She managed to say before she burst into tears. She knew she had to keep quiet so her mother didn't hear.

Just then, a thought struck her.

_I have to go back. _

There was nothing left for her here in this world. Her parents would miss her, sure. This was probably the most selfish thing she could ever do to them. But if they knew about this other world… they definitely would have supported her, she thought. Plus, with time, they would get on with their lives.

She knew she didn't belong in this world anymore. She felt alone. She felt so incredibly alone, and she missed having someone beside her who actually cared. Chihiro had experienced something great in the Spirit world, love. She loved Lin, Kamaji, Haku, even Yubaba. When she had met them… she felt as though she finally belonged somewhere. In the 2 years that followed after she left them, she never truly connected with anyone else. All her minor friendships at her school had never felt anything like her friends in the Spirit world. There were still many things she was unsure about… but she knew one thing for sure. She had to go back.


	3. Chapter 3: First Step

The next day, Chihiro's mom had asked her to go to the market to pick up some groceries. Chihiro knew this might be her only chance. But she sensed a heavy feeling of guilt. Would her parents ever forgive her? She may never know. She thought that it would be best not to think about her parents for a while, or she might chicken out. _I've already decided. No turning back. _

She quickly slipped on her old outfit she wore the day she went to the spirit world. White and green shirt, pink shorts, and yellow shoes. She probably looked pretty weird, but it was just something she had to do.

She walked downstairs, and saw her dad sitting in his brown leather chair, just like he always did. He was reading the paper. Chihiro's mother was in the kitchen, humming her usual tune.

"I'm going to pick up the groceries," Chihiro said to both of them.

Her mother stopped what she was doing and walked out of the kitchen and up to her daughter, who was standing by the door. "Thanks, dear. Here's the list."

_Oh no… she just HAD to call me 'dear'. Here comes the guilt. _

"Alright, thanks mom." Chihiro said. She got that feeling in the back of your throat that only meant one thing, if she stayed any longer, she'll start crying.

Unable to break down, she hugged her mom. Mrs. Ogino seemed taken aback by this, as her daughter didn't show that much affection very often.

Mrs. Ogino chuckled, saying,"Chihiro, is something wrong? You don't have cancer or anything, do you?"

Chihiro mustered her best fake smile and said, "Of course not. I just don't tell you often how much I love you. Anyway, I'm heading out now. I'll be back in half an hour." With that last sentence, her tears were really in danger of spilling over. She got the courage to turn the doorknob, and left the house without another word. Chihiro's mother thought to herself how odd she was acting, but returned to the kitchen.

_This is it. _

She closed the door and quickly began her walk down the old dirt road. A few tears made their appearance, but were quickly brushed aside. She knew she was doing the right thing.

Her feet seemed to walk themselves all the way to the old tunnel. She wasn't even sure if she remembered the way… But it seemed as though her brain had a programmed GPS set to 'home'.

She stood outside that tunnel, unsure of herself.

_Chihiro, theres nothing left for you here, _she thought. She stood outside that tunnel, and it seemed to pull her in. It felt so familiar, even though she had only stood outside the tunnel one other time. She took her first step in, and immediately all her previous doubts about her parents and leaving dissolved. She felt a sudden change in atmosphere. Instead of feeling as though the air was made of concrete, Chihiro felt her heartbeat quicken. She was actually going back. She could finally say the words she had wanted to say every day for the past two years. _I'm coming home. _


	4. Chapter 4: Home

She continued her walk down that tunnel, hearing her feet echo. Chihiro walked into the giant church-like room that had been the model of many art assignments at her school, earning her lots of praise from her teachers. Or should she say, _old _school and _old_ teachers. As she thought about this, she felt her lips spread into an ear-to-ear grin as she knew that every step she took was another step closer to her home.

Suddenly she came to the exit of that room, and found herself somewhere oh so familiar to her. The field. The memory-filled place that haunted her with a goodbye for two whole years. She had thought that she would have felt sad being back in that place, being plagued with that memory. But she was the polar opposite. Knowing that the goodbye that took place there was _not_ the end made that sad memory happy again. She walked along the grass until she came to the shops where her parents were turned into pigs. Thinking of her parents stung momentarily, but her happiness quickly took over. The lights hadn't changed yet, and there was no food out.

Suddenly she remembered something.

_Wait, won't I disappear if I don't eat something from this world?_

That sudden moment of panic was enough to put an end to her blissful excitement. She knew the way to Kamaji's, right? Maybe he still has some of last night's food that Lin gave him.

She walked onward until she reached the bathhouse, half expecting to find a boy with ocean green hair staring at her. When she was younger, she remembered looking at the bathhouse in wonder, having never seen one before. Now she saw just how beautiful and magnificent it really was. It was unlike anything in her world. But she had no time to gawk, she had to eat something quickly. Chihiro took a left at the bathhouse, where she knew the rickety broken stairs stood that led to Kamaji's boiler room. She used to be frightened to death because of it… and sadly, that was one of the only things that hadn't changed over the years. Knowing that one wrong step would be the end of her, she silently wished she was lighter. After debating to herself how she would get down, she decided to go for it. Just run. She quickly sprinted down each step, hoping none of them would snap. Today was her unlucky day, as one of them broke.

The wind quickly picked up as she half fell half ran down all the stairs, eventually joining face-to-wall. She rubbed her nose as it hurt badly, but also chuckled as she felt deja vou, since the exact thing had happened two years ago.

She opened the steel door to the boiler room, and was welcomed by a hot blast of air. She stepped inside the furnace-filled room. Chihiro spotted some spider-like balls on the floor, and realized she was accidentally stepping on one of the sootballs.

"Sorry!", she quickly apologized to the sootball. It didn't seem to mind. Little did Chihiro know that those sootballs all remembered her very well.

Her sudden apology caught the attention of Kamaji.

"Who are you and what do you want?" He asked grudgingly. _Oh Kamaji, still the same grump as always._ Chihiro knew what to say, and knew he would remember her right away.

"Hello grandpa!" Chihiro said with a grin.

There was dead silence for what seemed like ages. Kamaji finally spoke up.

"Chi-Chihiro? Is that really you?!" His rough face suddenly softened as he flashed his biggest smile and used two of his six arms to pull her into a hug.

Chihiro never realized just how much she missed Kamaji. If it weren't for him, she wouldn't have gotten a job at the bathhouse, and wouldn't have been able to save the sick Haku.

"Yes… yes, Kamaji… it's me… I'm back…", she said tearfully in the midst of the hug. Kamaji let go and got a good look at her.

"Just look at you! You're blooming into a lovely young lady!" He said. Suddenly, he gasped, saying,

"Just wait until Haku sees you! Oh goodness, and Lin! She should be here any minute to feed the soot! Here, until she gets here, have a seat and tell me how you've been!"

Chihiro could barely contain her excitement as she told him that she planned on staying for good, but she was sadly disappointed when he didn't respond right away.

"What about your family? Oh, Chihiro…"

"My family is here, Kamaji. I've thought this through, and I've decided. I'm staying." She tears began to form as she carried on, saying,

"After I left… I never connected with anyone in the human world like I did with you guys. I've been miserable not being here, and I've regretted leaving every day since I left."

Kamaji saw how strong his adopted granddaughter felt and agreed with her. "Well," he said, "We've all missed you. Even Yubaba. She always tells us how much she wishes we worked like 'Sen'. As long as you're alright with it, I'm so happy you're back for good."

Almost as if on cue, a knock was heard on the wooden door in the corner of the room. It slid open, and a tall brunette woman in a pink apron walked in.

_Lin._

Without seeing Chihiro, she yelled at Kamaji.

"How many times have I told you to put your plates outside the door, Kamaji?!" She stopped dead in her tracks as she caught sight of the girl next to him. She dropped her bucket of food for the soot and ran over, immediately reaching to hug Chihiro.

"You dope… you came back… you actually came back!"


	5. Chapter 5: Blackout

Just as Lin reached to embrace with her, she was shocked to find that Lin's body went through hers.

_I'm… disappearing?!_

"Lin," Chihiro said, "Do you have any food?! If I don't eat something from this world, I'll disappear, remember?"

Lin ran to the now dropped basket of soot food, and picked up one of the speckled flakes. Chihiro quickly swallowed the food, happy to have found something to eat so quickly. Her body returned immediately. Chihiro was surprised to find that the soot food tasted exactly like sugar.

"Kamaji… is this… sugar?"

Kamaji smiled as he spoke, saying, "Yes, it's the only thing they'll eat that won't break the spell I've put on them."

Before anyone could continue talking, they heard a knock on the wooden sliding door that Lin entered through. Aogaeru, the frog worker, hopped in.

"Lin! Yubaba says to get to work or no roasted newt bonus at the end of the month!"

Lin grumbled as she turned to Chihiro, saying, "Meet me at the girls' sleeping quarters later tonight, ok? We have so much to catch up on, since I only got to talk to you for a little while. See you later, dope." Chihiro jumped as Aogaeru then hopped up to her, saying, "Hey, you, smelly human. You look kinda familiar."

Just as Chihiro was about to tell him who she was and why she seemed familiar, she was cut off my him. "Anyway, Yubaba wants to see you too. Says she's got something to talk to you about."

Chihiro suddenly felt as though a 100 pound weight had just been dropped on her chest. She had no clue what Yubaba would want with her…. And how did she even know she was there?

_Well, I guess I have to see her anyway. I need to get a job here if I'm going to be staying here permanently._

Chihiro silently prayed that whatever Yubaba wanted with her, it would end well, and not with Chihiro's head chopped off.

After saying goodbye to Kamaji, she exited the boiler room and entered the bathhouse. Only this time, she didn't have to hold her breath on the bridge, because it seemed as though everyone already knew she was there. As she passed by all the yunas (female bathhouse workers), she heard them whispering to one other.

"Is that Sen?"

"She's back?"

"No way… she'll stink up the entire place!"

"Ugh… she smells even worse than before."

"I wonder if Haku-sama knows she's back. You know how much he missed her."

Chihiro wondered if she heard that last girl correctly… Haku had actually missed her? She wasn't sure if she was unbelievably happy, shocked, angry, or a mix of the three. If he had missed her so much, why didn't he come to visit her? She had waited two whole years for him to show up… and she missed having her friend every second of it.

Suddenly another thought hit her.

_What if I run into Haku on my way to Yubaba's office?_

She decided that she didn't want to see Haku just yet. She had to get to Yubaba, before anything else. Quickly, she began her journey to the top floor, where Yubaba lived. She glanced at her surroundings as she quickly paced to the elevator. She recognized a few of the spirits there, the Radish Spirit being one of them. As she entered the elevator, she smirked to herself, remembering her previous experience with that spirit. She recalled being squashed up to the side of the wall by the Radish Spirit, since he took up almost the entire elevator. Now that she was older, the Radish Spirit didn't seem nearly as gigantic as she remembered.

She contemplated this as the pulled the lever on the side of the elevator. It shot up like a rocket, much to Chihiro's surprise. She saw the floors pass her as the cubical ventured upwards, half tempted to press her nose up to wall as she had done before when she was younger. Remembering Lin's warning that she would lose her nose, she thought better of it.

Slowly, the doors of the elevator opened, as she reached the top floor. She remembered the way to Yubaba's office very well. Chihiro had just reached the gigantic door to the office when she heard a shrill, raspy yet familiar voice insult her.

"Oh god, Not the puny brat again."

Chihiro looked around, not sure where the voice had come from.

"Are you still not even going to knock? Still just as rude as before, I see."

She then looked at the door, recognizing the voice as the old doorknocker that was there two years ago. The small golden head rolled its eyes as it opened the door with a large creak.

Suddenly, she heard a familiar booming sarcastic voice all around her.

"Sen! Finally decided to show up, did you? Come in. I think there's someone here who would like to see you."

Chihiro stood firm, recognizing this voice as Yubaba. She had only just realized that she stayed still a little too long, when she suddenly felt an invisible hand reach out and grab her, pulling her through the long and winding corridor, until she was finally flung into a gigantic room with a loud thud.

Chihiro sat upright, rubbing her head. She landed headfirst, so the world seemed slightly fuzzy.

Yubaba snorted with a smirk, adding, "What an elegant entrance, Sen. Glad you could finally join us."

Chihiro, having regained her balance, glanced at her surroundings. She knew this office very well, with its tapestries hanging on the walls, and magic trinkets as far as the eye can see. Chihiro felt her entire body go numb as she spotted who stood next to the gigantic witch.

There stood a boy around the same age as Chihiro. His ocean blue hair cut off at his shoulders. The boy's white and blue apron covered what seemed to be a fit body. But what Chihiro stared at the longest was the boy's eyes. Chihiro knew those eyes… those emerald eyes that shone like the real gemstones themselves. She had seen them in her dreams far too many times. Those eyes that had the ability to calm her down when she was in panic. It was him.

_Haku._

She felt her mouth drop open, but before she could do anything else, her vision became blurry again, whether it was from the impact on her head from landing or the shock of seeing the friend she had longed to see every day for two long years.

Before Chihiro hit the ground, she felt arms catch her fall. She never saw who it was who caught her, she lost her sight too quickly. Her mind was racing, and she so desperately wanted to stay awake. But all she could manage was a faint mumble. "Haku… I came back, Haku…"

Her arms fell to her side as she lost consciousness in the arms of her long lost friend, Haku.


	6. Chapter 6: Welcome Home, Sen

When Chihiro awoke, she wasn't sure where exactly she was. She thought she had seen her mother in the corner, but after rubbing her eyes, discovered that it was Yubaba, staring at her intently. She looked at where she was lying, and saw that she was wrapped in a blanket and lying on the floor of Yubaba's office.

She then remembered blacking out in someone's arms.

_Who was that..? I'll have to apologize to whoev—_

She stopped mid-thought. She remembered everything now. Haku had caught her fall.

_God_, Chihiro thought, _Why am I such a klutz? _

After a momentary silence, Yubaba spoke up.

"Ahh, Sleeping Beauty finally awakens. Nice job, getting your human smell all over my office."

Chihiro looked around the room, searching for the boy who had wrapped his arms protectively around her. She saw no trace of him anywhere.

"If you're looking for your Haku," Yubaba said, "He went to go get something for you to eat for when you woke up. He wasn't sure if you had had anything to eat yet, and didn't want you disappearing. He was pretty shocked when he saw you enter."

Chihiro made it a mental note to thank him later. Chihiro also thought she had better get to the point with Yubaba. She didn't want to stay in her office any longer than she had to… that place creeped her out.

"Yubaba… is there any way I could get my old job back? I'm here to stay for good."

The old witch stood there, thinking a moment. She finally spoke up.

"Although I hate to admit it, I was never able to find another worker as hard working as you. If you're staying for good like you say… I may have some actual use for you. I'll give you a job, but it won't be the same as before. And if I hear one peep of a complaint out of you, I'll skin you alive and deep fry it into chips for the guests."

Yubaba waved her hand, making a piece of paper float out of the pile on her desk.

"You know the drill. Sign your name, and I'll put you to work.", Yubaba said as she turned her back.

"Thank you, Yubaba! Whatever work it is, I'll do it.", Chihiro said as she signed her name. She also wrote her name on her arm, so she would always remember it when she went back to the name Sen.

Having finished signing her name, the paper flew back to Yubaba's hand.

"Ah, Chihiro. I hadn't heard that name in a while. I only remembered you as Sen."

Curiosity got the better of Chihiro—or should I say Sen— so she had to ask the important question.

"Yubaba, what work will I be doing in the bathhouse?"

Yubaba smiled a wicked grin, making Chihiro slightly nervous.

"Well, Sen. When you escaped with your parents the last time, Haku came back and quit being my apprentice, since he had found his name. He did most of my dirty work, and I was very upset when he quit."

Chihiro listened to every word, thinking that Yubaba needed her to find a new apprentice for her.

"As you could imagine, I now need someone to take his place."

Chihiro felt her chest tighten as she heard the next six words come out of her mouth.

"And that apprentice," Yubaba said, "Is you, Sen."


	7. Chapter 7: Reunited

Haku had arrived at the office door moments before, and having heard that Chihiro and Yubaba were in the middle of a conversation, he thought it would be best not to interrupt. But, curiosity got the better of him, so he used his dragon senses to listen to what they were saying.

"—I now need someone to take Haku's place,", he heard a voice that appeared to be Yubaba's say.

This peeked his attention. He listened closely..

"—and that apprentice is you, Sen."

He nearly dropped the plate of food he had in his hand. Were they talking about Chihiro being the next apprentice?

_I must protect her… Yubaba must know she won't be able to handle that type of work. I have to get in there!_

He bolted into the room, much to the surprise of the doorknocker, who was so used to Haku being so polite.

The sight he saw was not a pretty one. Yubaba was several inches from Chihiro's face, and Chihiro looked like she was about ready to either cry or faint again.

"Yubaba!", Haku said, "You _know_ Chihiro isn't capable of doing those types of jobs! Chihiro is a girl, _not_ a !"

Yubaba, having heard this, smiled evilly.

"Oh, dear Haku. Glad you could make it. I was just getting to your role in all of this. You, Haku, will be taking Sen's old position, cleaning the tubs."

Haku didn't even care, and carried on.

"Yubaba. If she takes this job, she'll get killed. You know that. Why are you sacrificing such a hard worker for something you know she can't do?"

Now Yubaba's patience was running thin. "_Because, _Dragon-Boy, your girlfriend here managed to make my best worker, _you_, quit. She's getting what she had coming!"

The two of them were now very angry at one another, but Chihiro remained dead silent in all of this. While Haku was debating whether or not to start a fight, she spoke up.

'I'll do it."

You could hear a pin drop as both Yubaba and Haku whirled to look at the girl. Haku, planning to protect Chihiro and make Yubaba give her another job, stopped dead in his tracks, seeing how determined Chihiro looked. Haku had forgotten that it was now two years since their last meeting… and that she was stronger now. She was no longer the little girl who fell in his lake. She was now a strong, beautiful, lady. In that moment, Haku felt a new level of respect and admiration for Chihiro. Haku knew that if there was any other person besides him who could do the job, it was her.

Yubaba piped, "See, Dragon-Boy? Sen is a big girl now, and you're a big boy. Time for both of you to put on your big kid panties."

Haku pondered for a moment, but finally spoke up. "Fine," He said, "but Chihiro is allowed to come to me for help if there's a job too risky for her, alright?"

Yubaba thought to herself silently how stupid love was, but eventually agreed to that condition.

Both Chihiro and Haku bowed and left the room. When they shut the door, neither of them knew what to say to each other.

_Oh god, _Chihiro thought, _Why isn't he saying anything? It's been two years!_

Eventually, so much time had passed that Chihiro began to get disappointed.

_Maybe he decided he hates me. Maybe so much time has passed that all we'll ever be around each other is awkward. I just missed him so much… Maybe I shouldn't have come back. Maybe I should have just been happy with the memories._

Chihiro remembered that Lin had wanted to talk to her in the girls' quarters that night. She could make an excuse out of it to get out of the awkward situation.

It was that feeling you get at the end of summer break, when you see your friends for the first time in that long. She felt that wave of nervousness come over her. Her hands were shaking, and she was so nervous she was barely able to stammer out the next sentence.

"Haku… I have to go see Lin…"

She had just turned to leave when she felt her hand being grabbed. Chihiro felt herself being surrounded with warmth.

"I missed you, Chihiro."

The world stood still for Chihiro when she heard those words come from his mouth.

For two long years, she had missed having him by her side. She missed him, even though their time together was so short. Chihiro had pictured herself being reunited with her friend, and _her_ being the one to say _she _missed _him. _But never…. _Never _had Chihiro pictured him saying the same thing to her. Especially since Haku never showed much emotion. Tears welled in her eyes as she thought of this…. As she recalled how lonely she had been without Haku there.

"I… I missed you too….", she said in the midst of their hug.

Both of them separated immediately when they heard a voice behind them say, "Awwww!"

Lin had come upstairs carrying a plate of food. She must have been there to deliver it to Yubaba.

_Of all times to come upstairs… _Chihiro mentally grumbled.

"Sorry to interrupt, guys. I know you must have a lot to catch up on. But Sen, we have to get your apron ready for tomorrow."

Chihiro knew she would have to explain to Lin that she wouldn't be working the baths, and that Haku would be taking her place, but she decided to follow her anyway. "I'll see you later, Haku.", Chihiro said before running after Lin.


	8. Chapter 8: Choose

Lin immediately objected when she had heard that night that Chihiro was replacing Haku as Yubaba's apprentice.

"Not even _Haku _could handle that job, Sen! You're going to get yourself killed!"

"Yubaba says that if there's a particular job I can't candle, Haku is allowed to help me. I'll be fine, really."

Lin finally relented, saying, "Fine, but I swear, if you come back one day with so much as a _scratch_, I'll kill that witch."

"Lin, I'm not a car. I'm going to be fine."

After a slight pause, Lin spoke up, saying with a nudge, "Ok, girl talk. Tell me everything about your world. Are there any boys you have the hots for? I want to hear every little detail."

Chihiro had no idea what to say. The truth is, she really didn't have any friends at _all _in the human world, let alone a boyfriend. She answered truthfully.

'Nah, I don't really like anyone right now."

"Ohh, I see, still got the hots for dragon-boy?", Lin said with a wink.

"Absolutely not! We're just friends, seriously."

And that was the truth. Chihiro had never really thought of Haku that way… to be honest, she didn't know how she felt about Haku at all. She recalled the day when Kamaji had told Lin that it was 'true love' that had saved Haku. She thought that was true. She did love Haku, she thought. In which way she loved Haku was what she wasn't sure about. Plus, even if she did love Haku, he would never feel the same way about her. That hug was just between friends…right?

Chihiro was brought out of her inner thoughts by Lin talking with her dinner in her mouth, saying, "HA! As if I believe that. Ever since you left, dragon-boy has been sulking every day. That hug was the first sign I had seen in two years that he even _had_ a heart."

_She must be messing with me. _She thought to herself. They ate in silence for a while, and eventually decided to go to sleep.

"You've got a big day tomorrow, Sen." Lin said worriedly, "Get some rest."

All the yunas rolled out their futons and shut off the lights. Everyone else seemed asleep, but Chihiro was having a hard time calming down.

_I wonder what my parents must think… They must have called the cops by now. I wonder how long they'll search for me until they give up?_

Chihiro missed her parents. So many things had happened so quickly, she wasn't even able to process her own feelings. What she felt like she needed right now was to be alone to sort through these thoughts.

Chihiro decided to go outside to the garden to calm down. She slowly got up and exited the quarters without waking anyone up.

Chihiro recalled the way to the garden. She remembered being led by Haku before, after he had taken her to see her parents in the pig pen. Chihiro remembered the exact spot where Haku had given her rice cakes, and let her cry over how scared she was. She recalled feeling so comforted when he had put his hand on her shoulder, telling her it was ok to cry, telling her to let it out. She had never had anyone even half as caring as Haku there for her.

Chihiro was so caught up in her own thoughts, she hadn't even noticed that someone was already standing there in the same spot that she had reminisced over. Was that… Haku?

"I thought you might be here. Couldn't sleep?" He said calmly.

_How had he known that I would be here? _"No… so many things going on. I just couldn't settle down."

He was sitting over by the green hedge where they had sat before, two years ago. Haku patted the space next to him, beckoning her to sit down.

After she had sat next to him, Haku pulled out a small package that looked oddly familiar. He opened it up, and she saw the rice cakes wrapped carefully. He held one out to her.

Chihiro picked it up and took a bite. She remembered its flavor. She remembered sitting here long ago, doing the same exact thing. She remembered what would come next, too.

As she took more bites, tears began to trickle down the sides of her face. She missed home…. She really missed home. She missed her silly mom and stubborn dad. She missed the very people she convinced herself she could learn to live without.

But she also missed Haku. She missed Lin, she missed Kamaji. She missed Zeniba, she missed No-Face. She even missed Yubaba. No matter what she chose... She lost.

_Why am I acting like this? I CHOSE to be here. I shouldn't be crying like this right now._

Her vision was cloudy with tears as she glanced to the side, making eye contact with Haku. He didn't look surprised at the way she was acting.

"Chihiro…."

He placed his arm over her shoulder, making her cry even harder. She didn't want to stay. She didn't want to leave, either. She just didn't want to feel alone… which no matter what she chose, she would feel either way.

She was barely able to speak without breaking down between words.

"Haku…. What do I do?" She said in a break between sobs. All the pent up sadness and loneliness she had bottled up for two long years was finally being let out.

"Get some rest, and we'll think this through tomorrow." He said consolingly.

Chihiro was too emotionally drained to object to his help. With a slow nod, she stood up, ready to head back.

"Thank you, Haku."

He walked her back to her quarters, having finally let go of all of her bottled up emotions. After saying goodbye to Haku, Chihiro laid her head down next to Lin, and almost immediately fell asleep.


	9. Chapter 9: A twist

Chihiro was woken up by Lin early that morning.

"Yubaba's gonna be mad if you're late. Last time Haku wasn't on time, he got 10 lashes in the courtyard.", Lin said hastily.

Chihiro remembered her mother always nagging her about how important it was to be on time. Lin reminded her a lot of her mother right now.

She was still too drained from last night's incident in the garden to even care. Chihiro put on her pink apron and looked at herself in the mirror. She remembered seeing herself two years ago in that same apron, and how baggy it looked on her. The young girl had now grown into it. She felt… old.

Chihiro put her hair up in her purple hair tie, and was ready. Once she opened the door, she saw that Haku was waiting for her.

"Yubaba told me that we were both needed for this mission." He said.

"So, what exactly do we have to do?" Chihiro asked.

Haku thought for a moment. "It varies. Sometimes you're out getting certain spellbooks for Yubaba's spells, other times you're picking up supplies for the bathhouse and kitchen. She'll tell us what we're doing once we get upstairs."

By then they had both reached the elevator. Haku pulled the lever, and they shot up like a rocket. They stood in silence as they got closer to the top floor. Chihiro knew she had to say something.

"Hey, thanks for last night. I'm really sorry. I don't know what got into me…"

He looked at her with tranquility in his eyes.

"It's fine, really. You're going through a hard time. I'm happy I was able to help. Even the strongest people break sometimes."

Chihiro smiled slightly. "Do you remember when the exact same exact thing happened last time? I had just seen my parents for the first time in their pig pen, and you gave me those same rice cakes. I remember crying for what seemed like hours."

Haku was surprised that she had remembered so much. The truth was… he did remember. He remembered everything. He remembered so much it sometimes hurt him, missing those moments with Chihiro every day.

"I didn't think you would remember so much." He said with a sideways glance.

Chihiro spoke as if she was caught in another world. "Of course I did. Back in the human world, I would have dreams nearly every night of those memories. I missed all of you so much, how could I forget?" Chihiro said with a smile, dazed in her reminiscence.

By then the elevator had opened its doors, and they stepped outside. The other night, the long corridor that led to Yubaba's office had scared Chihiro. With Haku there, she didn't feel scared anymore. It felt good, having him by her side again.

They entered Yubaba's office. She stood there, and seemed as though she had been waiting for them.

"One more minute and you would have been late. I trust I won't have to tell you what will happen if you are ever late, will I, Sen?"

"No, ma'am." Chihiro said, recalling Lin's warning about receiving 10 lashes. Haku was next to speak up. "What is our job for today?" he asked.

She looked at the pair of them seriously. "My cousin's daughter from far away is coming to stay at the bath house. She's around your age. Her name is Akane. I need you to make sure that every one of her needs is met. Her mother is very wealthy, and is paying us well to make sure her daughter is taken care of."

They both nodded. But Yubaba wasn't finished just yet. "Chihiro, please begin preparations for Akane. I must speak to Haku alone for a moment."

Chihiro didn't know what was going on, but quickly exited the room. Haku looked at Yubaba questioningly.

"Is there something else you needed?"

"Haku, there is something else I must tell you about Akane."

He waited patiently for what she was about to tell him.

"Akane is to be your wife."


	10. Chapter 10: A Change in Tone

**AUTHOR NOTES-**

**Lucy – Arigato gozaimasu! This is my first actual fanfiction… so it means a lot! But… *evil laugh* I had something else planned in store for the next few chapters ;) I hope you like them, thanks!**

**Penleaf – Arigato gozaimasu! Yes, that Yubaba is a pain in the butt. Thanks for enjoying!**

** – I hope you enjoy the rest of the story!**

**TO ALL READERS – I'm sorry I haven't been posting for a few days now! I'm moving houses, so it's been rather hectic lately. Gomenasai! I'll try to be more frequent from now on. Here's a long chapter to make up for slacking. **

The world seemed to drop from under Haku's feet as he fully comprehended what Yubaba had just said.

_I'm… getting married?!_

"No way. There is absolutely no way I could ever marry that girl. No matter how rich she is."

Yubaba flashed a wicked grin at his immediate objection. "I thought you might say that. But you needn't object, dragon, it's been arranged since soon after you showed up here, many years ago. And you should know that if you deny Akane or make her unhappy in any way, I will make sure your human ends her life in this bathhouse in a more excruciating way than even you could ever imagine."

"Why do you have to bring Chihiro into this?! She's done nothing wrong, and using her as your slave is unfair enough as it is!"

"Her name is SEN, dragonboy. And I know you're not stupid enough to avoid the fact that I'm using her against you because she is the one thing in this world you care about." _Well, that was true. But it's not like that! _As she finished relaying her plan, an urgent pounding on the door resounded, making both her and Haku jump. A rough voice that could only be one of the frog workers spoke loudly.

"Yubaba, Akane-sama will be here in a few minutes!"

"ALRIGHT, alright, you idiot! No need to shout." She turned to him. "Haku, grab Sen and get down to the main entrance. You, Haku, are to marry her in a week's time. If either of you make Akane upset in any way, I'll kill your human on the spot without the slightest hesitation. Am I perfectly understood?"

Not wanting to put Chihiro in any more danger than she already was in, he began to walk towards the door. "Don't think I'm letting this go, Yubaba. We'll continue our discussion later." She cackled maniacally, "I'm sure we will, dragon boy."

He shut the wooden door with a 'thud'. Chihiro was waiting further down the corridor, and she appeared to be deep in thought. The look of contemplation left her when she saw Haku standing there. "What did Yubaba need? I didn't mess up already, did I?"

Seeing her look of ungrounded guilt at the thought that she had messed up told Haku that he shouldn't tell her what had been said moments before. "Nothing," he said calmly, "Yubaba only said that we need to make sure to keep this girl happy."

"No kidding," Chihiro added with relief, "I've had enough of angering powerful spirits. Especially those with supposed 'unlimited power' like Akane."

Haku would have smiled at her humor were it not for the fact that if they messed up, Chihiro's life would be on the line. He felt somewhat guilty for not telling her the whole truth about what Yubaba said, but he knew that if she_ did_ know, she would be so nervous she would be bound to screw something up. She was still so much like a child. It was one of the things he found incredible about her.

_Stop it,_ He thought, _It's no longer alright for me to think like that. If I want to protect Chihiro, I have to focus on Akane. Only long enough to convince her not to marry me. _

By that point they had reached the elevator. Haku pulled the lever on the right to start the elevator downward. He glanced at Chihiro. She seemed to be pretty happy to be there… but what about what was underneath? Remembering last night, how she had cried on his shoulder, Haku could only wonder what exactly she was thinking right now. Maybe, with all of this chaos, she had decided to go home. But Haku knew that whatever she chose, he would support her either way.

_But you want her to stay, don't you?_

That pesky voice in the back of his head set him off. He had felt entirely alone those two years she was gone. In all honesty, he probably felt just as alone as she did. But he wouldn't tell her that he wanted her to stay. It was her decision, and he couldn't sway it.

He didn't mean to add any more to her list of worries, but he had to ask her. "Chihiro… have you thought any more about whether you want to stay or go back to your world?"

The air suddenly took a colder feeling. You could see the look of worry and gloom cloud Chihiro's once joyful appearance. Her mask had shattered.

"No… with all of this Akane business, I've been pretty busy. While you were talking with Yubaba, Lin and I got her room ready. I've had hardly any time to think, really. I honestly don't know what I'll do." Haku could have sworn he saw her eyes get slightly shiny in that moment.

And it was that very thing about her that he wanted to protect. Haku sensed how alone she felt as she thought about her decision. She was like a baby animal… all alone in a world she didn't understand. He loved that about her. He loved her childlike innocence, how she always put others before herself, to the point where she got emotional at the very thought of confronting her own problems. He loved her selflessness. In what way he loved her… that was what he was unsure of. Chihiro kept talking, but he was too distracted by these thoughts to pay attention.

The elevator doors had been opened for a few seconds by now, but Chihiro saw how deep in thought Haku was. She did, however, know that they needed to get to the entrance before Akane.

"Haku?" He snapped out of his reverie immediately. How long had he been standing like that? Chihiro stared at him intently, curious as to what he was thinking of. Haku avoided eye contact with her, much to Chihiro's confusion. He quickly exited the elevator. "Let's go."

They walked briskly past all the baths, passing dozens of workers carrying gifts to the front entrance. In Chihiro's world, it would have seemed like a real life princess was about to arrive. Seeing everyone bustling around made her worry about messing up and offending the girl. Haku seemed to sense this.

"You're going to be fine, Chihiro." He said reassuringly.

They finally reached the entrance, and witnessed a true spectacle. There were hundreds of Yunas and frog workers lined along the walls of the entrance, all of them with their faces flattened to the ground. They were all bowing, anticipating Akane's arrival. Laid out were hundreds of offerings and gifts; jewelry, gold, rubies, and food as wide as the eye could see. There was so many gifts that it was a miracle there was even a path to the door. Chihiro was still soaking all of it in… in her world, this would never happen. She was so distracted she jumped when Haku spoke up.

"—Chihiro? Did you catch that? We're going to stand beside the door until she gets here. When she arrives, we will kneel. Say nothing. Do not get up until she gives permission. We know almost nothing about her, so she may be very impatient and strike you on the spot if she is offended."

They both ran to the door to get into position. They waited as the last few workers ran into their spots. As if on cue, loud instruments began to play. None of these instruments were recognized by Chihiro, they were unlike anything she had ever seen before. A loud voice with no body boomed throughout the entire building.

"NOW ANNOUNCING THE ARRIVAL OF AKANE HIMURA."

All fell to their knees, Haku included. The music had stopped. Chihiro followed Haku's instructions, putting her knees and face to the ground into a bow. There was a long pause, and you could cut the tension in the air with a knife. She suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder. A very kind yet commanding voice spoke to her.

"Chihiro Ogino, Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi, you may rise." This made Chihiro shudder. She had never heard anyone besides herself use Haku's full name. Something about it didn't seem right to Chihiro. _Did they know each other?_

Both Haku and Chihiro slowly rose. They stood eye to eye with a girl about Chihiro's age. At first, Chihiro was taken aback by what she saw.

There stood possibly the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. There a girl stood in a floor length, traditional red gown which grew long in the back. The detailing of the dress was done in shimmering gold, which wrapped in swirls throughout the entire fabric into a floral pattern. With every move she made, the dress would flicker as if wrapped in a golden flame.

Chihiro then saw the girl's face. Her skin was an ivory white, with not one imperfection. Her lips were of the deepest red, yet seemed perfectly natural. Her silky golden hair was pinned up with red and gold floral hair pins.

But Akane's eyes were the most impressive of all. They shone like silver, as if they were the real thing. When you looked into her eyes, it was as if you were looking into an ocean on the verge of a storm. Her eyes had the ability to calm, yet still add a touch of fear into the deepest, darkest part of you. She had eyes that commanded respect, without any effort at all.

All the other workers still laid with their heads bowed, and Chihiro now understood why. Everyone seemed entranced by her presence. Everyone except Haku. All he had within him was anger.

Although she was beautiful, he was filled with rage at the mere thought that he would be forced to marry her. This girl was the very reason Chihiro's life may be in danger.

Without anything else being said, Both Chihiro and Haku showed Akane where she would be staying. Her room was located the floor below Yubaba's office . After the trio had left the worshipers—err, I mean workers, the entire scene was far less intense. Akane seemed to be a pretty normal girl. Chihiro got up the courage to ask her how her trip was, and the two girls began to chat like any other two friends, with a secretly worried Haku walking behind them.

_Calm down, _Haku thought.

_She's just a girl. She won't hurt Chihiro._

They had talked about Akane's trip for a while now, and eventually Akane changed the subject, gaining a more authoritative tone.

"Haku, please bring me my dinner. After I have eaten, I would like Chihiro to show me further around the bathhouse."

Chihiro didn't think anything was out of the ordinary, but Haku didn't trust those two alone together. He sensed everything was about to go horribly wrong. Akane did seem kind and normal… but would Chihiro know how to handle herself around someone so important? He couldn't deny the girl's orders, and could almost feel Yubaba screaming in his head to do as she says or else. Haku made up his mind to get her food as quickly as possible and come back. He bowed and left quickly with no further comment.

The sudden mood shift was instantaneous.

The oblivious Chihiro spoke up, "I can show you around the girls qua—"

"Shut up. You're the little runt who's trying to take my husband away from me!" Akane's eyes suddenly turned darker, sending shivers down Chihiro's spine.

She had no idea what Akane was talking about.

"I'm sorry, I'm not sure I know who you're talking about." Chihiro said, trying not to further anger the suddenly furious and dangerous girl. With every word Akane said next, her voice changed more and more, echoing louder into Chihiro's head.

"Engrave these next words into that pathetic skull of yours. I will only repeat myself once. Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi is engaged to be married to me. From this moment onward, you may not speak another word to him, Chihiro Ogino."

Chihiro was trying her hardest to wrap her head around all of this.

_Haku? Engaged to Akane?!_

Akane took this momentary silence as an act of defiance. Chihiro suddenly felt a powerful wave of air lunge her across the corridor, pressing her onto the wall. She suddenly felt unable to breathe. It was as if invisible hands were closing around her neck.

She heard Akane's deep laughter thunder in her head. As Chihiro was finally unable to hold her breath any longer, Akane waved her hand and she was released, falling to the floor _almost_ unconscious. With the blurry eyesight Chihiro had left from oxygen deprivation, She saw Akane undergo a total change, going back to being the normal girl she appeared to be before her explosion.

The last thing Chihiro heard was a falsely frantic Akane screaming.

"HAKU! SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH CHIHIRO, SHE NEEDS HELP, COME QUICK!"

Just as Akane had finished her staged cry for help, Chihiro felt her body go numb as she lost consciousness on the cold wooden floor.


End file.
